FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The inventive concept relates to a dynamic basketball game system and method wherein a basketball hoop assembly can move to set up different shots and angles while users remain substantially in one place.
BACKGROUND
Basketball is a demanding game where players move up and down a court as respective teams seek control of the ball and the opportunity to shoot baskets. Each court has at its end a fixed basketball hoop mounted on a backboard that is in turn mounted on a pole. Where space is limited, teams may play games on half courts where the team gaining control of the ball must take that ball to the far end of the half court away from the hoop and then bring it back as the team seeks an opportunity to score.
A basketball court is a place not only for basketball games but for general fitness and practice involving shooting. People may shoot baskets to gain stamina and practice motor skills or just because they enjoy shooting. Even just shooting baskets, however, requires ample physical fitness because a basketball, once shot, may ricochet in any number of directions wherein the person must move to intercept the ball or chase the ball down. Further, if a player wishes to hone shooting skills, every moment spent pursuing a loose ball is a moment that might otherwise have been spent shooting. People who may lack mobility or stamina may be excluded from using a basketball court altogether.
Also, a basketball court takes up a lot of space, especially if built at or near regulation size, limiting the number of people who may play in each space and limiting other play that might use a basketball hoop mounted on a backboard for contests such as pure shooting contests where the rest of the basketball court might be wasted space. While a plurality of basketball hoops mounted on a backboard could be set up in narrow lanes within the space of a typical basketball court, in the spirit of amusement part games where people shoot miniature physical basketballs at a miniature net, people would be limited to the one shot straight in front of the hoop and backboard. Basketball, however, is played such that players may shoot to the hoop from anywhere in the bounds of the basketball court substantially along a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree arc. Further, having just the single shot would limit training value and would lose its entertainment value because even games solely reliant on shooting depend on the opportunity to vary shots to stay interesting.
There is a need in the market, therefore, for an improved basketball game system that can provide entertainment and training value to people though contained in a smaller space than a traditional basketball court where people with a basketball and of varied fitness levels can obtain the benefit of shooting a variety of shots from a variety of angles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed is a dynamic basketball game system and method, that has a substantially cubical base assembly having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side, a second side, a top portion, and a bottom portion, the base structure having a substantially linear channel assembly extending through the top portion from the proximal end toward the distal end and disposed between the first side and the second side. The dynamic basketball game system includes a basketball hoop assembly having at least a pole assembly, a hoop member, and a backboard assembly, the hoop member and the backboard assembly coupled to an upper portion of the pole assembly. The pole assembly may be straight and may be offset in portions around a center of mass created by the basketball hoop assembly and one or more counterweights coupled to the pole assembly wherein the pole assembly may be rotatable around the center of mass, the center of mass further defining a vertical axis of the basketball hoop assembly. A lower end of the pole assembly is disposed within the linear channel assembly and is designed to be horizontally movable along the linear channel assembly between the proximal end and the distal end. The basketball hoop assembly is further designed to be rotatable on the vertical axis formed by the pole assembly, the pole assembly substantially perpendicular to the linear channel assembly.
Included in the dynamic basketball game system is a pedestal assembly proximate to the cubical base assembly at the proximal end of the cubical base assembly and in communication with at least one controller assembly, a game space disposed substantially above the combined pedestal assembly and cubical base assembly. The pedestal assembly has an interactivity space disposed above a substantially planar upper surface of the pedestal assembly having at least one optical sensor designed to detect at least one or more of physical motion within the interactivity space and physical motion within the game space. The at least one controller assembly is further designed to calculate virtual motion from physical motion wherein physical vectors and derivatives thereof may continue in their trajectories as virtual vectors and derivatives thereof.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least the hoop member of the basketball hoop assembly is designed to be vertically movable along the vertical axis formed by the pole assembly. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, the pedestal assembly is designed to be vertically movable along an axis orthogonal to the upper surface of the pedestal assembly. The upper surface of the pedestal assembly may be set at a height higher, lower, or equal to the height of a top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least one additional sensor is used with the optical sensor from a group of motion sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and localization grid sensors to designed determine at least one or more of motion and quality of motion, quality of motion including vectors non-parallel to a center of mass vector of at least one or more of a user and a ball member.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least one LED is disposed on the dynamic basketball game system in communication with the at least one controller and designed to present at least one or more of spatial, temporal, and scoring information. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, data derived from detected physical motion is designed to calculate a score from at least one or more of accuracy and form.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, the score is further designed to include at least one difficulty measure. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least one ball return assembly is disposed in connection with the cubical base assembly designed to gravitationally draw a ball member launched from the pedestal assembly and at least one or more of mechanically and gravitationally return the ball member in proximity to the pedestal assembly.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least one user interface is in communication with the at least one controller assembly designed to at least receive data input from a user. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system, at least one or more of an optical, audio, motion, weight, and biometric sensor is in communication with the at least one controller and designed to dispose data from which the at least one controller is designed to identify individual users.
Illustrating scoring and the user interface, some embodiments will allow inputting or receiving a code when a new game has started or is to be started that indicates to what position the basketball hoop assembly should move, when shots are made or missed, and other progressions of a game. A code may be entered to identify a given user or a given game.
The inventive concept, including a corresponding method for using the disclosed system, now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description, and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete, and will fully convey the full scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a dynamic basketball game system,
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a basketball hoop assembly,
FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section view of a linear channel assembly with a pole member, of the basketball hoop assembly therethrough,
FIG. 4 illustrates a profile view of a pedestal assembly,
FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the pedestal assembly on a scissor lift,
FIG. 6 illustrates a game space is disposed substantially above the combined pedestal assembly and cubical base assembly,
FIG. 7 illustrates interactivity space disposed above the substantially planar upper surface,
FIG. 8 illustrates an optical sensor with angle θ covering a portion of the interactivity space,
FIG. 9 illustrates a system of a controller and a user interface,
FIG. 10 illustrates sensor types,
FIG. 11 illustrates a representative array of LED lights,
FIG. 12A-12B illustrates a representative ball return assembly,
FIG. 13A-13C illustrates a representative dynamic basketball game method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Following are more detailed descriptions of various interconnected related concepts related to, and embodiments of, methods and apparatus according to the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that various aspects of the subject matter introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the subject matter is not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.
FIG. 1 illustrates a disclosed dynamic basketball game system 10, that has a substantially cubical base assembly 100 having a proximal end 101, a distal end 109, a first side 104, a second side 106, a top portion 110, and a bottom portion 108, the cubical base assembly 100 having a substantially linear channel assembly 130 extending through the top portion 110 from the proximal end toward the distal end and disposed between the first side 104 and the second side 106. The cubical base assembly 100 is configured such that any variety of electrically driven mechanical systems 135 may be contained within the cubical base assembly 100 and used to create force and acceleration on components of the basketball game system 10, including both linear and rotational movement.
Central to the inventive concept of the dynamic basketball game system 10 is the idea to move the other object, in this case users of the dynamic basket system staying in place on a pedestal assembly 400, which will be described, while a basketball hoop assembly 20 moves toward and away from that user. Normally, when people play basketball, the basketball hoop assembly 20 is fixed and people move about the court, but just as a treadmill can allow people to run long distances within the confines of a gym or even a small room, a dynamic basketball game system 10 allows for a variety of basketball game play and training within a limited space. Further, to continue with the treadmill analogy, because the user stays in place, a variety of sensors may be used to monitor that user that would be difficult or impossible to array if that user was truly mobile on a traditional basketball court. Changing, however, which element moves within the system, herein being the user staying in place while the basketball hoop assembly 20 is allowed to move, creates additional outcomes and benefits that will be described. For illustration, people who may be physically less mobile than suitable to use a traditional basketball court may be able to participate in the sport. And like with treadmills in a gym, multiple dynamic basketball game systems 10 may be arranged side by side or in other suitable configurations where multiple users can participate in basketball activities within limited spaces, such as a gym or sports bars, without interfering with each other.
FIG. 2 illustrates that the dynamic basketball game system 10 includes a basketball hoop assembly 20 having at least a pole assembly 210, a hoop member 220, and a backboard assembly 230, the hoop member 220 and the backboard assembly 230 coupled to an upper portion of the pole assembly 211. In the preferred embodiment, the basketball hoop assembly 20 would be recognizable as a basketball hoop assembly 20 used to play the sport of basketball for play as promoted by the National Basketball Association, but other variations may be used that change the dimensions or appearance of components of the basketball hoop assembly 20.
FIG. 3 illustrates that a lower end of the pole assembly 219 is disposed within the linear channel assembly 130 and is designed to be horizontally movable along the linear channel assembly 130 between the proximal end of the linear channel assembly 131 and the distal end of the linear channel assembly 139. In the preferred embodiment, there is a single linear channel from, but not necessarily all the way to, the proximal end of the cubical base assembly 101 to the distal end of the cubical base assembly 109, but other embodiments may include curved channels or may have channel junctions from which the pole assembly 210 may move off the single linear channel. The pole assembly 210 may be straight and, as illustrated in FIG. 2, may be offset in portions around a center of mass 250 created by the basketball hoop assembly 20 and one or more counterweights 255 coupled to the pole assembly 210 wherein the pole assembly 210 may be rotatable around the center of mass 250, the center of mass 250 further defining a vertical axis of the basketball hoop assembly 252. The basketball hoop assembly 20 is further designed to be rotatable on the vertical axis formed by the pole assembly 212, the pole assembly 210 substantially perpendicular to the linear channel assembly 130. In the preferred embodiment, the pole assembly 210 is rotatable from mechanisms inside the cubical base assembly 100, but alternative embodiments may allow rotational force to be generated on mechanisms operable coupled to or about the pole assembly 210 or the backboard assembly 230.
FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section view of a linear channel assembly 130 with a pole member 210 of the basketball hoop assembly 100 therethrough and further illustrates that in some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least the hoop member 220 of the basketball hoop assembly 20 is designed to be vertically movable along the vertical axis formed by the pole assembly 212. The pole assembly 210 may be made longer or shorter along the z/vertical axis 212 by a variety of mechanisms by which a pole length may change including, but not limited to, at least one or more of an illustrated hydraulic lift 240, or also telescoping, and movement along a substantially vertical rail.
FIG. 4 illustrates the pedestal assembly 400 of the dynamic basketball game system 10, the pedestal assembly 400 proximate to the cubical base assembly 100 at the proximal end of the cubical base assembly 101 and in communication with, as illustrated in FIG. 9, at least one controller assembly 900. In the preferred embodiment, this pedestal assembly 400 is or has a setting that puts a substantially planar upper surface of the pedestal assembly 410. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, the pedestal assembly 400 is designed to be vertically movable along an axis 450 orthogonal to the upper surface of the pedestal assembly 410. The upper surface of the pedestal assembly 410 may be set at a height higher, lower, or equal to the height of a top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 111.
FIG. 4 further illustrates other embodiments of the pedestal assembly 400 are substantially static or may be manually repositioned. In other embodiments, the pedestal assembly 400 may be virtual, or projected, or denoted by LED or other lights on a physical floor. Such embodiments may allow the top surface of the pedestal assembly 410 to change length, width, and position relative to the cubical base assembly 100.
FIG. 5 further illustrates that beneath the pedestal assembly 400, in configurations that may be in communication with or apart from mechanisms moving the basketball hoop assembly 20, may be lift mechanisms 490 that may move the pedestal assembly 400, particularly, but not limited to, those mechanisms that may change the vertical position of the pedestal assembly 400. Such lift mechanisms 490 may include but are not limited to a scissor lift mechanism 592.
FIG. 6 further illustrates that a game space 600 is disposed substantially above the combined pedestal assembly 400 and cubical base assembly 100. This game space 600 is definable along the three standard dimensions of an x, y, and z axis 603 along with time t, wherein any combination of [x, y, z, t] points and vectors may be calculated and may be used for calculations to track past, present, and future motion of people and things and of parts of people and things within the game space 600 and where physical [x, y, z, t] coordinates may be extended into or represented by virtual [x, y, z, t] coordinates and derivatives thereof. The top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 111, as a substantially planar surface, defines the x and y axes of the game space 600, but the dimensions of the game space 600 may extend beyond the dimensions of the top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 100. The game space 600 may also be an entirely physical game space 600 and may also be a combination of physical game space 600 and virtual game space 600. For illustration, walls, screens, or nets, here represented by a sloped wall 620, at least partly surrounding the cubical base assembly 100 may restrain a basketball 888 physically, but a user, for illustration, a user wearing augmented reality glasses 618, may see a virtual progression of that basketball 888 through time as if there had been no wall or net. As another illustration, a physical ball may, upon being in contact with a wall or screen, be replaced by a virtual representation of that ball projected on or through that wall or screen. Walls, screens, or nets may further be sloped to direct physical balls impacting the walls, screens, or nets to the top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 100.
FIG. 7 illustrates that the pedestal assembly 400 has an interactivity space 740 disposed above the substantially planar upper surface of the pedestal assembly 410 wherein the interactivity space 740 would be a subset of the game space 600, the interactivity space 740 being the space with an x, y, and z axis 743 along with time t where a user of the dynamic basketball game system 10 is expected to be when using the dynamic basketball game system 10.
FIG. 8 illustrates that configured on or about the interactivity space 740 is at least one optical sensor 800 designed to, with angle θ 890 as required and considering the field of view of other optical sensors 800, detect at least one or more of physical motion within the interactivity space 740 and physical motion within the game space 600. The optical sensors 800 may be set in a variety of ways such as mounted on walls, stands, floors, ceilings, within localization grids, where the central condition is that, through the at least one optical sensor 800, the required motion over time t along at least one or more of the x, y, and z axes of the game space 600 may be measured by that given optical sensor 800. Where more than one optical sensor 800 is used, data may be combined to at least one or more of create and cross-check movement trajectories, particularly those trajectories that may be assigned as a center of mass 250 and movement of a user or object such as a basketball around its given center of mass 250. Further sensors or detectable elements such as reflectors 820 may be disposed on users or objects such as a basketball 888 used within the game space 600 to aid optical sensors 800 in tracking movement. Sensors such as rim lasers 822 crossing between a rim defining the hoop my confirm successful shots. Data may be used to create a highlight reel of video and data for people to view.
FIG. 9 illustrates that the at least one controller assembly 900 is further designed to calculate virtual motion from physical motion wherein physical vectors and derivatives thereof may continue in their trajectories as virtual vectors and derivatives thereof. The at least one controller may be disposed on or within other physical elements dynamic basketball game system 10 but may also be disposed apart from other physical elements of the dynamic basketball game system 10 but physically or wirelessly coupled operationally to the dynamic basketball system within a central or distributed network system. The controller can have a variety of configurations as required to receive inputs from at least one user interface 920 and collect and send outputs as data reflecting use of the dynamic basketball game system 10. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least one user interface 920 is in communication with the at least one controller assembly 900 designed to at least receive data input from a user.
FIG. 9 further illustrates that control of the dynamic basketball system may be by preset programming, for illustration, moving the pole assembly 210 about for a preset game; it may move about based upon feedback related to user performance, for illustration, moving after a user has succeeded in making a shot failed the shot for a certain number of tries; it may be moved on demand by a user, for illustration, the user wanting to try a specific shot or challenging another user to a shot as in the schoolyard game of horse; in summary any combination of computer-driven and user-driven combinations or algorithms by which basketball hoop assembly 20, the pedestal assembly 400, or both may be moved along at least one or more of the x, y, and z axes.
FIG. 10 illustrates that in some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least one additional sensor is used with the optical sensor 800 from a group of motion sensors 851, pressure sensors 852, accelerometers 853, and localization grid sensors 854 designed to determine at least one or more of motion and quality of motion, quality of motion including vectors non-parallel to a center of mass vector of at least one or more of a user and a ball member. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least one or more of an optical sensor 800, audio sensor 855, motion sensor 851, weight sensor 856, and biometric sensor 857 is in communication with the at least one controller and is designed to provide data from which the at least one controller is designed to identify individual users. As with the optical sensors 800, other sensors may be placed at least one or more of in, on, and around the dynamic basketball game system 10 by ways known in the art with the condition that the sensors may, within their given scope of the game space 600, measure at least one or more of a motion, a time of motion, and a quality of motion accorded to that sensor. For illustration, a pressure sensor disposed as a part of the pedestal assembly 400 may detect how a user is distributing weight, data which may be coupled to movement data from the at least one optical sensor 800. A timing component in communication with the at least one controller allows for synchronizing the variable of time t between any or all sensors used for a given dynamic basketball game system 10.
FIG. 11 illustrates a representative array of LED lights 860 of the dynamic basketball game system 10. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least one LED 860 is disposed on the dynamic basketball game system 10 in communication with the at least one controller and is designed to present at least one or more of spatial, temporal, and scoring information. For illustration, a color may be used to indicate such communications as user turns, time within which as user must shoot, success of the shot, or any variety of messages that may be communicated by presence, placement, wavelength, continuity, periodicity, luminosity, or derivatives thereof at any given period of time. LED lights 860 may also be used for illumination.
In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, data derived from detected physical motion is designed to calculate a score from at least one or more of accuracy and form. In some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, the score is further designed to include at least one difficulty measure. Scoring may include at least one user such that that user may compete against past scores to achieve a score or may compete against at least one second user. Time may also be a component of score, for illustration, two users scoring the same points in accuracy but one scoring those points faster than another and receiving a better time score.
FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate that in some embodiments of the dynamic basketball game system 10, at least one ball return assembly 871 is disposed in connection with the cubical base assembly 100 designed to gravitationally draw a ball member launched from the pedestal assembly 400 and at least one or more of mechanically and gravitationally return the ball member in proximity to the pedestal assembly 400 having at least on ball channel assembly 870, and which may, as in the representative embodiment, also have at least one ball vertical lift 872 and at least one gravity feed 874.
In some arrangements, basketball 888 travels down ball channel assembly 870 towards ball channel assembly end 870a arranged proximate proximal end 101 of cubical base assembly 100. As illustratively shown in FIG. 12B, the basketball enters ball vertical lift 872 (e.g., 888a), from ball channel assembly end 870a, which vertically displaces the basketball onto gravity feed 874 (e.g., 888b). The basketball travels down gravity feed 874 into and/or onto ball vertical lift 872a (e.g., 888c) which vertically displaces the basketball onto gravity feed 874a (e.g., 888d). The basketball travels down gravity feed 874a until it is stopped by ball stop 873 (e.g., 888e). Generally, FIG. 12B is an exemplary illustrative of one of many possible ways the basketball may travel from ball channel assembly 870 to ball stop 873, where then a player and/or user on pedestal assembly 400 can access the basketball.
In preferred embodiments, the top surface, though substantially planar, slopes off the horizontal x and y plane where the slope directs balls to one side or corner. A variety of surface designs may be used where the purpose is to cause balls to roll from where they are on the top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 100 to a location where they can be operationally directed by way of gravitational force to the at least one ball return assembly 870 and substantially back to the at least one user. Where the top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 100 is sloped downward toward the proximal end of the substantially cubical base assembly 100, that slope may provide the ball return assembly 870 or the first part of the ball return assembly 870 by returning the ball to the proximal end of the substantially cubical assembly and may further return the ball all the way to users at the pedestal assembly 400. Slopes may be graduated and may further take conical or saddle shapes in some embodiments.
FIG. 13 illustrates that one or more flat panel screen assemblies 880 may project for users and other people aspects of the dynamic basketball game system 10 such as the simulated projection of a court associated with the game and may convey user information such as, but not limited to, score, time, quantities such as balls and shots, dimensional information such as distance and angles, and more. A backboard member 231 of the backboard assembly 230 may also be a backboard screen assembly 881 and may further be made of glass or glass substrates with properties, such as, but not limited to, Corning® Gorilla Glass®, having properties suitable for screen projection and for toughness. Screen assemblies 880 may also serve in the role of user interfaces 920. Users may be unaware of where they would be standing on a full-size traditional court, and screens assemblies 880 may provide the user their perspective if they were standing on an actual court.
The inventive concept collects data that may be applied to artificial intelligence solutions wherein vectors may be analyzed. Body part/joint tracking may detect how the player executed the shot, analysis of kinematics, body motion, and correctness of form. Such may be used for virtual basketball coaching and providing real-time advice. Body pose analysis in both real-time and post-video analysis can be used to overlay animation on the person, impose basketball jerseys and accessories on the player on live screen as well as post video that can be shared on social media. Skins of popular players or cartoons may be overlaid on the user. Pose tracking will also assist in making highlight reels, such as defining when a jump shot began and ended, and can trigger strobe lights of highlight videos accordingly, or digitally zoom in to portions of the body for dynamic dramatic video editing.
FIG. 14A-14C illustrates a dynamic basketball game method including the step of 1400 activating a substantially cubical base assembly having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side, a second side, a top portion, and a bottom portion, the base structure having a substantially linear channel assembly extending through the top portion from the proximal end toward the distal end and disposed between the first side and the second side, the basketball hoop assembly having at least a pole assembly, a hoop member, and a backboard assembly, the hoop member and the backboard assembly coupled to an upper portion of the pole assembly. Further included is the step of 1405, horizontally moving on command a lower end of the pole assembly disposed within the linear channel assembly along the linear channel assembly between the proximal end and the distal end.
Further included in FIG. 14A-14C is the step of 1410, rotating on command the pole assembly of the basketball hoop assembly on a vertical axis formed by the pole assembly, the pose member substantially perpendicular to the linear channel assembly. Further included is the step of 1415, activating a pedestal assembly proximate to the cubical base assembly at the proximal end of the cubical base assembly and in communication with at least one controller assembly, a game space disposed above the combined pedestal assembly and cubical base assembly. Further included is the step of 1420, detecting physical motion by way of having at least one optical sensor within the game space and an interactivity space disposed above a substantially planar upper surface of the pedestal assembly at least one or more of physical motion within the interactivity space. Further included is the step of 1425, calculating by way of the at least one controller assembly virtual motion from physical motion wherein physical vectors and derivatives thereof may continue in their trajectories as virtual vectors and derivatives thereof.
Further included in FIG. 14A-14C may be the step of 1430, vertically moving at least the hoop member of the basketball hoop assembly along the vertical axis formed by the pole assembly. Further included may be the step of 1435, vertically moving the pedestal assembly along an axis orthogonal to the upper surface of the pedestal assembly. Further included may be the step of 1440, determining with at least one from a group of optical sensors, motion sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and localization grid sensors at least one or more of motion and quality of motion, timing of motion, and quality of motion including vectors non-parallel to a center of mass vector of at least one or more of a user and a ball member.
Further included in FIG. 14A-14C may be the step of 1445, calculating a score from at least one or more of accuracy and form data derived from detected physical motion. Further included may be the step of 1450, applying a difficulty measure to the score. Further included may be the step of 1455, presenting at least one or more of spatial, temporal, and scoring information by way of at least one LED disposed on the dynamic basketball game system in communication with the at least one controller. Further included may be the step of 1460, gravitationally drawing a ball member launched from the pedestal assembly and at least one or more of mechanically and gravitationally returning the ball member to the proximity to the pedestal assembly, the at least one ball return assembly disposed in connection with the cubical base assembly.
Further included in FIG. 14A-14C may be the step of 1465, receiving data input from a user by way of at least one user interface in communication with the at least one controller assembly. Further included may be the step of 1470, identifying individual users by way of at least one or more of a optical sensor data, audio sensor data, motion sensor data, weight sensor data, and biometric sensor data in communication with the at least one controller.
The following patents are incorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,977, 6,918,591, 7,182,704, 8,540,560, 9,589,207, 10,010,778, 10,688,362, 10,930,172, 11,565,160, US2005/0223799, US2016/0193518, US2019/0366153, US2020/0016458, CN109701236, CN110772772, CN113069743, CN113908506. CN114984548, CN115245668, CN205095372U, CN207708469U, CN210728602U, CN212439950U, CN214019127U, FR2761894, JP2001009075, KR100940735, WO200409188, and WO2020160128.
While the inventive concept has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the inventive concept is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure, many modifications and other embodiments of the inventive concept will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this inventive concept pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the inventive concept should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.
Numbered elements include:
- Dynamic basketball game system 10
- Basketball hoop assembly 20
- Cubical base assembly 100
- Proximal end of the cubical base assembly 101
- First side of the cubical base assembly 104
- Second side of the cubical base assembly 106
- Bottom portion of the cubical base assembly 108
- Distal end of the cubical base assembly 109
- Top portion of the cubical base assembly 110
- Top surface of the top portion of the cubical base assembly 111
- Linear channel assembly 130
- Proximal end of the linear channel assembly 131
- Distal end of the linear channel assembly 139
- Electrically driven mechanical system 135
- Pole assembly 210
- Upper portion of the pole assembly 211
- Vertical axis of the pole assembly 212
- Lower end of the pole assembly 219
- Hoop member 220
- Backboard assembly 230
- Backboard member 231
- Hydraulic lift 240
- Center of mass created by the basketball hoop assembly 250
- Vertical axis of the basketball hoop assembly 252
- Counterweights 255
- Pedestal assembly 400
- Upper surface of the pedestal assembly 410
- Axis orthogonal to the upper surface of the pedestal assembly 450
- Pedestal lift mechanism 490
- Scissor lift mechanism 592
- Game space 600
- x, y, and z axes of the game space 603
- Augmented reality glasses 618
- Sloped wall 620
- Interactivity space 740
- x, y, and z axes of the interactive space 743
- Optical sensor 800
- Reflectors 820
- Rim lasers 822
- Basketball 888
- Angle θ as required and considering the field of view 890
- Motion sensor 851
- Pressure sensor 852
- Accelerometer 853
- Localization grid 854
- Audio sensor 855
- Weight sensor 856
- Biometric sensor 857
- LED lights 860
- Ball return assembly 871
- Ball channel assembly 870
- Ball vertical lift 872
- Gravity feed 874
- Flat panel screen assembly 880
- Backboard screen assembly 881
- Controller assembly 900
- User interface 920
Patent Application
20250213946
